Mr Ben Archer

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

School of Allied Health and Human Performance

College of Health


My research into career development examines the complex interplay between educational access, religious belief systems, and workforce development, with a particular focus on rural, remote, and regional communities. This interdisciplinary work investigates how these crucial factors shape career pathways and influence organisational workforce planning in geographically diverse contexts.
 
Central to my research is understanding how educational opportunities—or their limitations—impact career development in non-urban settings. I explore how access to education intersects with local religious and cultural frameworks to influence career choices and professional development trajectories. This investigation extends to analysing how religious belief systems can shape both individual career aspirations and community-wide approaches to workforce development.
 
A key component of my research involves examining how businesses in rural and remote areas can effectively plan for their future workforce needs while considering these unique contextual factors. This includes studying how organisations can develop strategies that account for local educational infrastructure and cultural dynamics to create sustainable workforce solutions.
 
Through this research, I aim to contribute to both theoretical frameworks and practical applications that can help individuals navigate career development while assisting organisations in building robust workforce planning strategies that are sensitive to local contexts. This work has important implications for educational policy, regional development, and organisational management in diverse geographical settings.

Date Position Institution name
2026 - ongoing Academic Support Officer Kurri Kurri Community Services
2023 - 2024 Research Assistant University of South Australia
2022 - ongoing Adjunct Research Fellow Torrens University Australia
2021 - ongoing Tertiary Pathways and Preparations Coordinator Taree Universities Campus
2021 - 2025 Adjunct Research Fellow Avondale University
2021 - 2025 Associate Lecturer James Cook University
2017 - 2018 Sessional Lecturer Australian Catholic University

Date Institution name Country Title
2023 - 2024 University of Newcastle Australia Australia Graduate Certificate of Project Management
2022 - 2023 Central Queensland University Australia Graduate Certificate of Tertiary and Adult Education
2019 - 2020 Alphacrucis College Australia Master of Leadership
2019 - 2020 James Cook University Australia Master of Business Administration (Global)
2016 - 2017 University of Southern Queensland Australia Graduate Certificate of Education
2012 - 2014 University of Notre Dame Australia Australia Master of Religious Education
2009 - 2009 Australian Catholic University Australia Graduate Diploma of Education
2004 - 2007 Australian National University Australia Bachelor of Arts

Date Title Institution name Country
2024 Fellow of the Higher Education Association Advance HE United Kingdom
2022 Registered Professional Career Development Practitioner Career Industry Council of Australia -

Year Citation
2026 Archer, B. (2026). The Silent Stakeholders: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Student Perspectives of School Choice & Satisfaction in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Journal of School Choice, 20(1), 109-132.
DOI Scopus1
2025 Archer, B. (2025). Bridging the Gap: Comparative Analysis of Academic Support and Teacher-Student Relationships in Faith-Based Schools Across Regional and Urban Contexts. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 35(1), 66-83.
DOI
2025 McEwen, C., Mueller, B., Trede, F., Archer, B., & Zappia, M. (2025). Advancing inclusive practices in higher education: possibilities and limitations of a social justice professional development course. Studies in Continuing Education, 47(2), 457-473.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2024 Archer, B. (2024). Moving From Faith Development to Faith Engagement in Christian Schools: A Scoping Review. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 17(1), 136-154.
DOI Scopus2
2024 Archer, B., Russo, K., Woodend, J., & Pryce, J. (2024). The relationship between living in regional, remote and rural areas and post-school outcomes: A scoping review. Australian Journal of Career Development, 33(2), 178-187.
DOI Scopus4 WoS1
- Archer, B. (2024). Harvesting Intelligence. Journal of Resilient Economies (ISSN: 2653-1917), 4(2).
DOI
- Archer, B. (2024). A Future in the Past. GILE Journal of Skills Development, 4(3), 34-49.
DOI
- Archer, B. (2021). Impact of Postgraduate Qualifications on the Career Progression of Middle Leaders in Schools. Aksara: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan Nonformal, 7(3), 781.
DOI

Year Citation
2023 Archer, B. (Ed.) (2023). New Directions in Guidance and Counselling Research: 2022 Edition. James Cook University.
- Archer, B. (2025). The STEM advantage : career planning and internship strategies for science, technology, engineering and mathematics postgraduate students. James Cook University.
DOI

Year Citation
2012 Archer, B. (2012). Benefits/issues in a blended learning course for a Year 10/11 Economics course. In Conference Proceedings on 2nd Annual International Conference on Education and e-Learning. Global Science Technology Forum.
DOI

Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
2026 - ongoing Associate Editor Australian and International Journal of Rural Education Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia Australia
2023 - ongoing Associate Editor Journal of Social Entrepreneurship Torrens University Australia

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